Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan is among the key leaders attending a significant event at State House, Nairobi, where Kenyan President William Ruto officially endorsed former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for the position of African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson.
Kenya has positioned Mr. Odinga’s candidacy as representing the collective interests of the East African Community (EAC), rather than solely Kenya. This move was further solidified by the withdrawal of former Somalia Foreign Affairs Minister Fawzia Yusuf from the race, with her subsequent endorsement of Mr. Odinga.
The high-profile event attracted several regional dignitaries, including Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, and former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete. Burundi’s Prime Minister Gervais Ndirakobuca and Rwanda’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, James Kabarebe, were also in attendance.
In a show of continental unity, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was recently with Mr. Odinga for the opening of the fifth World of Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (Festac) in Kisumu, was present to lend his support.
This gathering highlights the strong regional backing for Mr. Odinga’s candidacy, underscoring the commitment of East African leaders to unified representation at the African Union.